Elevated sectional floor



p 29, 1954 E. c. LISKEY, JR 3,

ELEVATED SECTIONAL FLOOR Filed Sept. 16, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Vi/IIIIII III I I i .INVENTOR. ERNEST c. LISKEY, JR.

new

ATTORNEY p 29, 1954 E. c. LISKEY, JR 3,150,748

ELEVATED SECTIONAL. FLOOR Filed Sept 16, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 [IIIINVENTOR.

F I G. 5

Sept. 2%, 1964 cw usKEY, JR

ELEVATED sac'rrom FLOOR File-cf Sept, 15, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEYR J n K b L G w E m E United States Patent 3,150,748 ELEVATED SECTIONALFLOOR Ernest C. Lislrey, Jr., Arnold, Md., assiguor to Inskey Aluminum,Inc., Glen Burnie, Md., a corporation of Maryland Filed Sept. 16, 1960,Ser. No. 56,530 4 Claims. (Cl. 18934) The present invention relates to afalse or elevated floor and is an improvement upon such a floor asdisclosed in my copending application for Letters Patent, Serial No.774,002, now Patent No. 2,956,653.

As pointed out in said copending application, the advent of electroniccomputers, of business machines, of magnetic files and the. like, andtheir use in large batteries or groups in a single area in business andgovernmental houses, has made this type of flooring not only desirablebut a necessity to provide a clear and unobstructed floor with the mazeof electrical cables, wirings, and other accessory equipment for thesemachines underlying the sectional floor yet quickly accessible throughany point in the elevated floor for inspection, cleaning, repair orreplacement and, at the same time, provide an air plenum chamber betweenthe elevated floor and the underlying normal floor to supply air atproper temperature to the machines or to certain of them which requireit.

One object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide theelevated fioorwhich latter comprises floor panels arranged in closecontiguous end-to-end and sideby-side contact upon underlying stringerssupported by spaced and adjustable pedestalswith a cushioning-sealingmeans on the stringers themselves, as a permanent part of the latter,for yieldably supporting and sealing all the marginal edges of the floorpanels and for centering or locating the panels in place during theinstallation of the elevated-floor, and prevent planar shifting of theinstalled panels without the requirement of fastener meansall in themost economical and facile manner to manufacture.

Another object of the invention is to attach the stringers to thepedestals by means of a novel snap-clip means requiring no bolts orscrews (which are difficult and tedious to apply) thus saving time andlabor in the installation of the floor or in its removal or dismantling.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a floor panel ofextruded aluminum sections held together in a unitary structure byend-bars in a manner imparting great transverse rigidity to the panel;to provide said end-bars of extruded aluminum so as to receive an inserttop-strip of material of the same kind as the floor-covering of thepanels, thus eliminating a metal bead or rib framing each panel whendesired; to provide extruded aluminum stringer supports for the panelshaving holding grooves formed in their panel supporting surfaces toreceive and maintain sealing-cushioning strips, as part thereof, uponwhich the marginal edges of the panels rest; and to provide improvedheads or caps for the adjustable pedestals to cooperate with saidimproved snap-clips for anchoring said stringer to said caps.

Other objects will be apparent from a consideration of the constructionof the elevated floor of this invention illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings when read in connection with the following detailedspecification.

In the drawings, which show the improved embodiment of this invention asnow manufactured and used FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the falsefloor, in accordance with the present invention, illustrating themeeting end of two adjacent panel members supported upon a stringer,which in turn is supported by two or more adjustable pedestals, certainparts being broken away and shown in section to illustrate details ofconstruction;

FIGURE la is a perspective view of the improved snap-clip and the arrowshows where the clip is attached to the pedestal cap;

FIGURE lb is a fragmentary perspective View of the sealing-cushioningstrip before being inserted in the stringer shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 10 is a similar view as FIGURE 1b but showing a modified form ofthe sealing-cushioning strip as employed in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the elevated floor of thisinvention with two floor panels in place on the underlying frame orstringers;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged cross-section taken substantially on the line 33in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged cross-section taken substantially on line 4-4 inFIGURE 2 and illustrating the manner of supporting said floor panel ator against a vertical wall or surface;

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of the cap of the pedestal shown in FIGURES land 3 with two snap-clips in place thereon;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 66 inFIGURE 3 to illustrate the manner in which the snap-clip is mounted onthe cap of a pedestal;

FIGURE 7 is an end View of the snap-clip on the pedestal-cap andillustrates the manner in which the stringer is applied to said clip;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged end view of the floor panel supporting surfaceof a stringer having the sealing-cushioning strip, shown in FIGURES lbor 10, anchored in a longitudinal groove formed in the surface of thestringer.

FIGURE 9 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 99 inFIGURE 1 illustrating the detailed construction of the floor panels; and

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of a floor panel, onsubstantially the actual scale, with portions' broken away to showdetails of construction.

The present invention is employed with a false or elevated floorcomprising a plurality of pedestals P of sufiicient number and suitablyspaced apart to support a plurality of spaced and parallel elongatedstringers S, and a plurality of brace-stringers B interposed between thestringers S and extending substantially at right-angles thereto, and aplurality of floor panels F laid in checkboard fashion-Le, in contiguousside-by-side and endto-end contact-end having their opposite marginalend portions resting upon and supported by two adjacent 50 stringers Sand their opposite side marginal portions resting upon and supported bytwo adjacent brace stringers B.

Each of the pedestals P comprises a base plate 10 from the centralportion of which extends upwardly a column 11 threaded at its upperportion 12 to receive a pair of nuts 13 and A header or cap 14, formedwith a vertical passage 15 therethrough, is supported upon the nut 13with the portion 12 of the column 11, above the nut, extending into saidpassage 15 with a close fit. Thus, the cap 14 is vertically adjustableby rotating the nut 13 and the upper end of the column 11 maintains thecap in centered and aligned position. The cap 14 is, preferably, anintegral aluminum casting substantially in the as a jam-nut, to lock thenut 13 in adjusted position.

The stringers S and B are essentially identical channels of extrudedlengths of aluminum and are cut transversely to required lengths fortheir respective uses. The chaunels are placed upon the caps 14 ininverted position, as shown, that is with their channel faces downward;and the inner face of the bottom wall 16 of each channel stringer S andB is formed (during the extrusion of the channel) with thickenedportions 17 disposed along the length of its longitudinal center and isgrooved, as at 17a, for a substantial portion of its depth and itsentire length through the outer surface of the bottom Wall 16, as shownmore particularly in FIGS. 1, 3, 4 and 8 for the purpose of anchoring asealing and cushioning strip 30 to the upper or floor-bearing surfacesof the stringers. The free edge portions of the side walls or legs 13 ofeach stringer S and B are provided with inwardly directed lateralflanges 19 which cooperate with snap-over clips 20 to clamp thestringers in position on the pedestal caps 14.

The floorpanels F may be of any convenient size but it has been foundthat, in most cases, panels of approxi mately 2 feet by 2 feet (square)better fill the requirements in most installations. Hence, the pedestalsP should be arranged on the normal or sub-floor in rows two feet apart(center to center) and the pedestals in each row should be two feetapart (center to center) as indicated in FIGURE 2, in order that thepedestal caps 14 may properly receive and support the stringers S andthe bracestringers B on the four horizontally projecting arms a formedby the two triangle portions of the caps as above explained. The ends ofthese arms a are each slotted inwardly with a vertical slot 21, which iswider at its outer end portion than at its inner end portion (see FIGS.1 and and has camming ribs 22 formed on its upper face and On each sideof said slot 21. The outer portions of these ribs 22 are bevelled, as atc, and their inner portions form flat lands c. The arms a are alsoformed on their under and bottom faces and on each side of said slot 21with similar camming grooves 23, the bottom walls of which are bevelledat their front or outer portions and are flat at their inner portions,as shown more particularly in FIGS. 1, 5, 6 and 7. The snap-clips arereceived in said slots 21 and are sprung into tight gripping engagementwith said arms by the camming ribs 22 and grooves 23.

The snap-clips 20 are cut from an extruded aluminum bar and each isabout of an inch long and substantially H-shaped in cross-section (FIG.1a) with the web w insertable in the slot 21 of an arm a of one of thecaps 14. The longitudinal edges of its side walls of this H-shaped clipare laterally flanged in the same direction, as at f and f, the flangesf having their longitudinal edges formed with outwardly directed andoppositely extending bevelled detents d to engage with the flanges 19 ofthe elongated stringers S and those of the brace-stringers B. Thesnapclips 20 are so dimensioned that, when they are forcibly insertedonto the arms a of the pedestal caps 14- by means of a blow with ahammer or the like, the inner faces of their upper walls ride over andupon the camming ribs 22 and the edges of flanges f on its lower wallmove along the camming grooves 23 and are flex-sprung to draw the upperwall down upon the land-portions c of the ribs 22 and the flanges 1 ontothe land-portions c of the grooves 23, thereby exerting sufficient forceas will cause the clips to be firmly anchored with a binding grip to thearms of cap 14. The flanges f, being confined in the grooves 23, retainthe clip 20 in proper position so that, when a stringer S or B is to beset and anchored in position on the underlying pedestals, it is onlynecessary to align the edges of the flanges 19 of the stringers over thedetents d and force the stringer downwardly, with sufiicient pressure.past the detents d of the anchored clips 20. As indicated in FIG. 7, bysuch operation, the legs 18 of the stringers are flexed outwardly astheir flanges 19 pass over the bevelled faces of the detents d and thenspring back to normal position under the noses or shoulders 11 of saiddetents, thus securely anchoring the stringers in fixed position.

Each floor panel F is fabricated of several sections of extrudedaluminum and each section comprises a plurality of substantiallyequi-spaced beams b arranged in the same horizontal plane with at leasttheir upper edges being connected by laterally extending webs to joinadjacent beams and form a smooth upper tread surface t. The lower edgeof said beams may be similarly joined, particularly should it be desiredto fill the voids between said beams with a material, such as insulationfor example. Since it is desirable for these sections 25 to be inmodules of 2 inches, it is most practical for extrusion purposes thatthese sections be 6 inches in width and approximately 24 inches inlength, that is in the direction of the beams b. Adjacent side beams bof adjacent sections of the floor panel F are formed respectively withcomplemental ribs and grooves g extending along a longitudinally medialportion thereof to interlock one with the other, as shown particularlyin FIGS. 9.

When the required number of sections 25 are arranged in contiguousside-by-side relation to form a floor panel F, they are connected andheld together in this relationship at each end by an end-bar 26extending transversely across each end of a panel F. The end-bars 26 arepreferably extruded lengths of aluminum and are formed, on what is theirinner face, with two outwardly projecting spaced and substantiallyparallel flanges 26a and 26b of substantial width and extendinglongitudinally of the length of the bar 26. The upper 26a of theseflanges is spaced from the upper edge 1' of the end-bar 26 and isreceived in slots 27 in the web portions of the beams b immediatelyunderlying the tread surface 1 of the assembled sections 25. The lowerflange 26b is spaced from the lower longitudinal edge e of the end-bar26 and is received in similar slots 27a in the lower portions of thebeams of the assembled sections 25, forming the panel, in overlappingengagement with the upper surfaces of the lower flanges of the beams bof the panel, as shown more particularly in FIGS. 1, 3 and 10. The endsof the sections abut against the end-bar 26 and the flanges 26a and 26bextend inwardly of the beams b of the panel sections 25 for asubstantial distance from the ends of the beams b. Weldments 28 and 29secure the end-bar 26 and its flanges 26a and 26b to adjacent parts ofthe beams thus holding the tongues and grooves of the adjacent sections25 in interlocking position and providing a very rigid floor panel F inthe directions of its beams b and transversely of its beams b.

The lower edges e of each end-bar 26 extends below the flange 26b to beflush with the bottoms of the beams b while its upper edge r extendsupwardly for a distance to be substantially flush with the tread surfaceI of the floor panels F. This upper edge r of the end-bars 26 is formed,during its extrusion, With a holding slot 260 to receive the stem of anextruded edging-strip 31, of plastic or rubber material T-shaped incross-section, and anchor said strip therein with its head portionresting upon and coextensive with the top edge r of the end-bar, asshown in FIGURES 1, 3, 4 and 10. The walls of the slot 260 and of thestem of the T-shaped strip 31 may be serrated, as shown, to increase theanchoring contact between the said parts. The material of the strip 31is preferably of the same kind, and if desired, of the same color as thefloor covering 32 carried on and bonded to the upper tread surface I ofeach floor. This floor covering 32 may be rubber or plastic tile andother suitable material. When it is desired to have a metal edge of theend-bars 26 visible, their upper edges will not be grooved, as at 26c,and their top edges r will extend flush with the floor covering 32.

The outer face of each end-bar 26 and of the outerside beams b of eachpanel F are smooth with their upper portion normal to the tread surfaceI and their major lower portion declined inwardly as at 34 (see FIGS. 1,3 and 9), so that the adjacent ends and/or sides of the two floor panelsmay be laid with the said upper portions of their outer ends and sidefaces in close proximity to one another, but not necessarily in abuttingcontact, and with said lower portions of said faces divergingdownwardly, thus providing the necessary clearance to permit the readyand easy insertion or removal (the latter by means of a suction cupapplied to the tread surface) of any one panel from the laid floor withrespect to its adjacent panels F. Further, this clearance betweenadjacent panels affords a means for centering each panel exactly inplace during the installation of the elevated floor and for preventingslippage or creeping in any direction of its plane, when so installed,as will now be explained.

A relatively stiff cushion strip 30 (FIG. lb) about of an inch wide islaid horizontally along the longitudinal center of the panel supportingsurfaces 16 of said stringers S and B and is anchored thereto. Thisstrip 30 is formed by extruding a resinous plastic material, which, inits finished state, has a degree of cushioning yieldability, yet stiffenough to perform the functions described for it. For example, the strip30 may be of a rubber composition, of nylon or of a vinyl plasticmaterial. At present nylon is being used with satisfactory results.

The strip 30 is, generally, cruci-form in cross-section, thus providingon its top surface an upstanding relatively thick rib' 30a extendingalong its longitudinal center and a narrower rib 30b, depending from itsbottom surface and underlying the rib 30a, formed and dimensioned to bereceived in the grbove 17a' of a stringer with a binding fit. The'rib30b may have one or more relatively short flexible flanges 30cprojecting laterally from its opposite sides, while the side walls ofthe rib 30a are dimensioned to substantially fill the space between thedeclining surfaces 34 of two abutting panels F and to extend for adistance upwardly therebetween to provide a centering abutment-curb withwhich the lower portions of the surfaces 34 engage.

As shown clearly in FIG. 8, the side walls of the grooves 17a in thestringers S and B are, preferably, formed with inwardly projecting ribs17b (which are produced during the extrusion of said stringers). Thedepending rib 3012 is forced, under pressure, into the groove 17a, whichcauses the flanges 300 on said rib to assume the position shown in FIG.8 to cooperatively lock against the rib 17b in the groove 17a and bindthe strips 30 in place on their stringers as shown. The strips 30 extendthe full length of the stringers and do not pull out of place from thegroove 17a although they may be removed by a tool moved along the groove17a, should it be necessary to renew the strips 30.

When so arranged on the stringers and because of its yieldability, thestrip 30 cushions the floor panels which rest upon it and seals the fourmarginal edge portions of the panels against leakage of air therebetweenas well as against the seepage of dust. The ribs 30a center or properlylocate each panel on its supporting stringers S and B so as to be inproper position with its adjacent panels and, thus, prevent creeping ofthe panels in any planar direction.

When the elevated floor is brought to a vertical wall or a column or thelike, or extends into a corner formed by walls, the pedestal caps 14 areprovided with only the required number of arms a for supporting therequired stringers S or B, as shown in FIG. 4. Also, the panels F forsuch locations are dimensioned to extend entirely over, and perhapsbeyond, the stringer adjacent and substantially parallel with such wallor walls to abut said wall, or substantially so, and finished with abase-board cover strip 35 as shown in FIG. 4. In such an arrangement,the stringers S or B adjacent to and parallel with said wall areequipped with sealing-cushioning strips 30' devoid of the curb ribs 30a,as shown in FIGS. and 4, but otherwise, the construction and arrangementof parts of the flooring is the same as described above.

To install the false-flooring of this invention, it is only necessary toplace a plurality of pedestals P in a row and space them according tothe size of the floor panels F being employed so that there will be onepedestal under '6 the meeting corners of adjacent panels, there being asmany of these rows of pedestals as there are panel corners to besupported for the elevated floor area desired. The caps 14 of thepedestals will have been adjusted to the approximate height required forthe installation and the required snap-clips 2% will have been set inplace on the arms a of said caps. The elongated stringers S are thenplaced upon the caps 14 to determine exact level and, where required,the caps 14 are readjusted to the proper level and position. Next, thestringers S are snapped in position on the clips 20; and, thebrace-stringers B, having been cut to proper length, are then similarlyarranged in position and snapped onto their clips 20, thus providing arigid checker-board frame structure for the reception of the floorpanels F. The floor panels F are, then,

laid in place in the areas defined by the central ribs 30a on thestringers S and B so that their four. bottom edges will abut the ribs 3%and rest upon those horizontal portions of the sealing-cushioning strips30 that underlie the marginal bottom edges of the panels F. When solaid, the panel F will be in side-by-side and end-tto-end abuttingarrangement, as indicated in FIGURES 1 and 2, with all of their marginaledge portions positively supported by underlying stringers S and B andsealed by the cushion strips 30. Any one of the panels may be removedwith facility and celerity by the application of a suction-cup to itstread surface.

From the above, it will be clear that the present invention affords afalse or elevated floor having improved novel features of constructionand that all of the objects, above stated, are attained thereby.

Having thus described the invention and the manner in which it is to beperformed, it is to be understood that certain changes and variationsmay be made in the exact details shown and described herein, as anexample, without departing from the spirit of the invention; and thatall changes or modifications as fall within the scope of the appendedclaims are contemplated as part of this invention.

That which is claimed, as new and to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. In an elevated removable sectional-panel floor for use over asub-flooring or the like and for forming a plenum chamber therebetweenincluding a supporting frame having a plurality of spaced andsubstantially parallel stringers, some of which being disposed atsubstantially right-angles to other stringers to form a grid-typestructure with an upper planar surface, and pedestal means supportingthe stringers and which includes means connecting said stringer into aunitary structure in an elevated position; the improvement comprising asealing strip of yieldable material disposed fiat along and fixedlyanchored to the upper planar surfaces of said stringers and having anupstanding rib thereon extending along its longitudinal center andforming a relatively stiff curbing; and a plurality of floor panelsdimensioned to cover the areas between and defined by said ribs with onesuch panel removably disposed within each of said areas respectively incheck-board planar arrangement, the bottom marginal edge portions ofeach panel resting on the marginal edge portions of said strips inboardof each area defined by said upstanding ribs to close said area and toform a seal be tween the panel and the underlying stringers, thesideedge surfaces of the panels at their tread surfaces being inopposing substantial juxta-position, and the upstanding ribs on thesealing strips extending upwardly between the perimetrical edges ofadjacent panels and terminating substantially below the tread surfacesto be obscured by the laid panels and assisting in locating said panelsin position, when inserted into said areas, and preventing edgewiseshifting of individual panels, when in position, where by the panels arepositioned, sealed and held in place without fasteners and are removableindividually at will.

2. In a sectional elevated floor, wherein there is a plurality offloor-panels arranged and laid in rows side-byside to be removable atwill, a supporting structure for each row of said panels comprisingspaced and substantially parallel stringers each having a floor-panelsupporting surface disposed longitudinally therealong; the combinationof a gasket strip of yieldable material on the floor supporting surfaceof each stringer and arranged longitudinally thereof; means anchoringthe underface of said strip of said surface of its stringer .as a fixedpart of the stringer; and an upstanding rib formed on and along thelongitudinal center of said gasket strips and substantially coextensivetherewith, adjacent rows of said floor-panels being laid to span saidstringers with the adjacent marginal edges of each row of said panelsresting upon said strips and on opposite sides of said upstanding ribs,which 10- cate the panels in correct position, while being laid, andwhich prevent horizontal shifting of said laid panels, and the gasketstrips forming an air-seal between the stringers and the panels wherebythe panels are positioned and held in place without fasteners and may beremoved individually at will under the weight of the panels.

3. A sectional floor, as set forth in claim 2, wherein there are spacedbrace-stringers extending between and planar to and at substantiallyright angles to said first mentioned stringers and arranged to underliethe edge portions of adjacent panels of, at least, one of said rows ofpanels, each of said brace-stringers being equipped with a yieldablegasket strip the same as are said first mentioned stringers to underliethe marginal edges of adjacent panels and upon which rest said marginaledges of adjacent panel on opposite sides of said upstanding ribs,thereby sealing the perimeters of said panels upon said stringers, andthe upstanding ribs of the gasket strips on the first mentionedstringers and on said brace-stringers forming defined areas into whicheach floor-panel is removably received.

4. A sectional elevated floor, as set forth in claim 2,

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,159,039 11/15Johnson 189-36 1,646,725 10/27 Davidson 189-42 1,723,306 8/29 Sipe 94-181,739,102 12/29 Strauss 346 1,890,954 12/32 Snyder 94-18 2,031,684 2/36Berger 50346 2,114,710 4/38 Holcomb 50-340 2,305,685 12/42 Foster 50-3462,309,451 1/43 Hasenburger et a1 189-1 2,363,429 11/44 Lowry 503462,692,033 10/54 Jaynes 189-36 2,933,782 4/60 Cornell 20-69 2,956,65210/60 Liskey 189-34 2,956,653 10/60 Liskey 189-34 2,960,195 11/60 Toth189-34 2,985,263 5/61 Maciunas 189-34 3,011,222 12/61 Spiselman 20-63,025,934 3/62 Spiselman et al. 189-34 FOREIGN PATENTS Addition 71,4531959 France.

JACOB L. NACKENOFF, Primary Examiner.

JOEL REZNEK, WILLIAM I. MUSHAKE, Examiners.

2. IN A SECTIONAL ELEVATED FLOOR, WHEREIN THERE IS A PLURALITY OFFLOOR-PANELS ARRANGED AND LAID IN ROWS SIDE-BYSIDE TO BE REMOVABLE ATWILL, A SUPPORTING STRUCTURE FOR EACH ROW OF SAID PANELS COMPRISINGSPACED AND SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL STRINGERS EACH HAVING A FLOOR-PANELSUPPORTING SURFACE DISPOSED LONGITUDINALLY THEREALONG; THE COMBINATIONOF A GASKET STRIP OF YIELDABLE MATERIAL ON THE FLOOR SUPPORTING SURFACEOF EACH STRINGER AND ARRANGED LONGITUDINALLY THEREOF; MEANS ANCHORINGTHE UNDERFACE OF SAID STRIP OF SAID SURFACE OF ITS STRINGER AS A FIXEDPART OF THE STRINGER; AND AN UPSTANDING RIB FORMED ON AND ALONG THELONGITUDINAL CENTER OF SAID GASKET STRIPS AND SUBSTANTIALLY COEXTENSIVETHEREWITH, ADJACENT ROWS OF SAID FLOOR-PANELS BEING LAID TO SPAN SAIDSTRINGERS WITH THE ADJACENT MARGINAL EDGES OF EACH ROW OF SAID PANELSRESTING UPON SAID STRIPS AND ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID UPSTANDING RIBS,WHICH LOCATE THE PANELS IN CORRECT POSITION, WHILE BEING LAID, AND WHICHPREVENT HORIZONTAL SHIFTING OF SAID LAID PANELS, AND THE GASKET STRIPSFORMING AN AIR-SEAL BETWEEN THE STRINGERS AND THE PANELS WHEREBY THEPANELS ARE POSITIONED AND HELD IN PLACE WITHOUT FASTENERS AND MAY BEREMOVED INDIVIDUALLY AT WILL UNDER THE WEIGHT OF THE PANELS.